Knitting machines



P 1965 J. c. HOPKINSON 3,204,432

KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 19, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Im W CURTIS PKINSON Atto rne y' Sept. 7, 1965 J. c. HOPKINSON KNITTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1962 Sept. 7, 1965 J. C.-HOPKINSON KNITTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1962 P 1965 J. c. HOPKINSON 3,204,432

KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 19, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 NC-- ,SW? Tc swz SM l SW4 F IG. 6

PANEL HEEL 86a INSTEP TOE BAND

WELT

vF/GB Sept. 7, 1965 .1. c. HOPKINSON KNITTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 19, 1962 A FIG. 10

lNSTEP-I/ p 1965 J. c. HOPKINSON 3,204,432

KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 19, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 "II-IIIIIII'" lxl ELASTIC Sept. 7, 1965 J. c. HOPKINSON 3,204,432

KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 19, 1962 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent 3,204,432 KNITTING MACHINES John Curtis Hopkinson, Breadall, England, assignor to Hosiery and Allied Trades Research Association Filed June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 203,503 12 Claims. (Cl. 66-132) This invention is for improvements in or relating to knitting machines and methods of knitting articles thereon to predetermined relaxed size from textile yarn. By textile yarn is meant yarn of the kind commonly employed for making knitted articles (such for example as yarns of natural staple such as cotton and wool; natural silk; and man-made yarns such as artifical silk, nylon, those sold under the registered trade marks Terylene and Orlon and the like), the material of such yarns possessing little or no elasticity, as contrasted with elastic (rubber) yarns but possessing substantial flexibility as contrasted with metal wire.

It is known for yarn to be fed to the needles by a yarn furnishing device in an endeavor to control the amount of yarnfed per loop or course and to employ with this device a yarn tension compensator in an endeavor to maintain constancy of yarn tension. However, circumstances, such as when the compensating devices are employed and/or when changes take place in the physical properties of yarns and/ or when the loop forming movements of the loop forming elements are purposely adjusted for some reason, result in articles which are intended to be of identical size being in fact produced with undue variation in relaxed size.

An object of the invention is to avoid or at least minimize undue variation in the relaxed size of articles intended to be of identical relaxed size.

The invention takes advantage of the fact that the object of the invention can be achieved by improved control of the amount of yarn fed per loop or course, and that in the instance of ladies stockings or mens half hose it is not essential for all yarns in all parts of the articles to be thus controlled but only for yarn in a major part of the articles to be thus controlled.

The invention provides a method of producing a knitted article to predetermined relaxed size on a knitting machine, wherein for production of a major part of the article the textile yarn is positively fed to the needles by a furnishing device at a 'rate which bears a predetermined relation to the machine speed, and the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements are maintained to such an extent that the positively fed yarn is knitted into stitch loops and courses of predetermined length, without undue rise or fall in tension of the yarn between the furnishing device and the needles, and at certain times, e.g. when remaining parts of the article are produced from textile yarn, the textile yarn is not thus positively fed, whereby all articles thus produced are substantially of the required relaxed size without undue variation.

For a major part of the article, amounts of yarn are fed to the needles by the furnishing device Within limits governed by the extent to which the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements may be pre-adjusted without resulting in undue rise or fall in tension of the yarn running between the yarn furnishing device and the needles, and within these limits, the feed from the furnishing device must be absolutely positive, and the non-positive nature of the knitting action must follow the positive and contant amount of yarn fed from the furnishing device.

It is a requirement of the present invention that at least within said limits there shall be no slip between the yarn and the furnishing device and the expression positively fed is employed in this sense. Were slip between the yarn-furnishing device and the yarn possible, then for example if, the device were to furnish yarn at too low a rate in relation to the loop-forming movements, the needles could draw additional yarn through the device and consequently consume more yarn than was intended. I

It is therefore to be understood that this invention excludes the use of a yarn-furnishing device comprising a pair of intermeshing gear wheels, or their equivalent, between which the yarn is fed.

By virtue of these characteristics, articles intended to be produced of any given size are in fact all produced substantially of that relaxed size with negligible or no variation.

In one arrangement during the production of the major part of the article the positive feed of the textile yarn to the needles is effected by conical nip rollers, and during the production of a number of courses in said major part of the article when the extent of the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements is progressively decreased, the textile yarn is progressively adjusted along the conical roller nip towards the narrow end of the conical nip rollers, whereby in said number of courses the length of yarn in the loops and courses progressively decreases to a predetermined extent.

In another arrangement during the production of the major part of the article the positive feed of the textile yarn to the needles is effected by any one pair of a plurality of interchangeable different diameter pairs of rollers according to requirements in respect of length of yarn per loop or course.

The invention also provides a knitting machine constructed and organized to produce knitted articles of predetermined relaxed size having a furnishing device for feeding textile yarn positively to the needles, driving means for driving said device from the machine at a predetermined speed relative to the machine speed, loopforming elements and adjustment means for pre-setting the extent of their loop-forming movements, and control means constructed and arranged for causing said device to be effective for feeding the textile yarn positively to the needles during production of a major part of the article, and for causing said device to be ineffective at certain times e.g. when remaining parts of the article are produced from textile yarn. Conveniently the device comprises conical nip rollers, one roller thereof being driven and the other roller thereof being laterally displaceable, a solenoid for effecting the displacement, an electric switch for controlling the solenoid, a disc cam for controlling the electric switch for the solenoid to close the rollers for the production of said major part of the article and to separate the rollers for the remaining parts of the article, a yarn guide mounted for displacement along the roller nip and a scale therefor, and quality control means for progressively adjusting the yarn guide along the roller nip.

Conveniently also there are starting control means and a second electric switch operable thereby to control said solenoid, a stop motion control lever, a third electric switch operable by the stop motion control lever to con trol the solenoid, a displaceable latch ring, and a fourth electric switch operable by the latch ring to control the solenoid.

The device may comprise parallel nip rollers, one roller thereof being driven and the other roller thereof being laterally displaceable, Bowden cable mechanism for controlling the displaceable roller, a control drum having control bits arranged for controlling the Bowden cable mechanism to close the rollers for the production of the major part of the article and to separate the rollers for the production of the remaining parts of the article.

Conveniently there is a second textile yarn, a second pair of parallel nip rollers one of which is driven with the first driven roller and the other of which is laterally displaceable, first Bowden cable mechanism and a control drum with control bits arranged to prepare for closing of the rollers, a displaceable yarn guiding finger for the textile yarn, a second Bowden cable mechanism operable by introduction of the yarn guiding finger to further prepare for closing of the rollers and at another time operable by withdrawal of the finger to separate the rollers, trapper and cutter 'means for the textile yarn, trip mechanism holding the rollers separated, a third Bowden cable mechanism operable by said trapper and cutter means to release said trip mechanism, and spring means for closing the rollers.

The invention also provides a two or more feed circular knitting machine constructed and arranged for the production of ladies stockings by having means for rotary knitting by a cylinder of needles a main textile yarn at the main knitting station for producing a turned welt, means for rotary knitting by the needles main and auxiliary textile yarns at the main and auxiliary knitting stations for producing a panel, sole and instep, and means for reciprocatory knitting by the needles a main textile yarn at the main knitting station for producing a heel and toe, the machine having in combination with said means, adjustment means for pre-setting the extent of the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements, a positive feed yarn furnishing device comprising conical nip rollers, drive means for driving one of the rollers from the machine at a predetermined speed relative to the machine speed, control means operable to close the rollers for positively feeding the main and auxiliary yarns for the panel, sole and instep and to separate the rollers for the welt, heel and toe, and means for progressively lowering the needle cylinder and adjusting the main and auxiliary yarns, for the panel, along the roller nip towards the narrow diameter end thereof relative to a scale.

The invention further provides a two or more feed superimposed cylinder knitting machine constructed and arranged for the production of mens half hose by having means for rotary knitting by opposed cylinders of needles a main textile yarn at the main knitting station for producing a 1 x 1 rib welt, means for rotary knitting by the needles main and auxiliary textile yarns at the main and auxiliary knitting stations for producing a broad rib leg, sole and instep, and means for reciprocator'y knitting by one of the cylinders of needles a main textile yarn at the main knitting station for producing a heel and toe, said machine having in combination with said means, adjustment means for pre-setting the extent of the loop-forming movement of the loop-forming elements, spaced positive feed yarn furnishing devices each comprising parallel nip rollers, drive means for driving one roller of each device from the machine at a predetermined speed relative to the machine speed, the other rollers being laterally displaceable, a trip mechanism for releasably holding one of the displaceable rollers separated from its associated driven roller, spring means biasing the displaceable rollers towards the driven rollers, Bowden cable mechanisms connected to the displaceable rollers and to said trip mechanism for closing the rollers for positively feeding the main and auxiliary yarns for the panel, sole and instep and to separate them for the welt, heel and toe, and control means for operating the Bowden cable mechanisms.

This machine conveniently has in combination with it a range of pairs of parallel nip rollers of dilIerent diameters and which can be interchangeably fitted to the machine for effecting the positive feed of yarn atdilIerent "rates according to requirements in respect of length of yarn per loop or course.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated in the construction which will now be described, as a specific em- 4 bodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of one circular knitting machine according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of relevant parts of the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a positive feed unit in the machine.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the unit.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View of the unit.

FIGURE 6 is an electric diagram of an electrical part of the machine.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a ladies stocking produced on the machine.

FIGURE 8 is a diagram of pattern means for controlling of the unit.

FIGURE 9 is a general perspective view of part of a second circular knitting machine according to the invention.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a mans half hose produced on the second machine.

FIGURE 11 is a further general perspective view of the second machine.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of pattern means for controlling a positive feed unit in the second machine.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the latter unit.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged sectional view of part of the latter unit.

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged sectional view of part of Bowden cable mechanism of FIGURE 9.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the machine is that known as the Bentley Model KL circular knit hose machine which in the example to be described is of two feed type.

The machine is basically of the well known construction having the usual needle cylinder 1, with independently operable latch needles N (FIGURE 2) having a known arrangement of ditIerent sized butts B, a known arrangement of cooperating jacks I, and know needle and jack cams 2, 3, with yarn fingers M1-M7 (FIGURE 1) for knitting at a main knitting station MS and yarn fingers AI-A4 for knitting at an auxiliary knitting station AS in the known production of ladies stockings. FIGURE 7, with turned welt W, garter band G, panel P and sole and instep I by rotary knitting and heel and toe pouches H, T by rec'ip'rocatory knitting.

The cylinder 1 is rotated for production of the turned welt W, the garter band G, the panel P, and the sole and instep I, by usual drive of a belt 4 (FIGURE 1) on driving pulleys 5, 6 with a free pulley 7, the belt being shiftable by a fork 8 with handle 8a and there being a handle 9 for hand turning of the cylinder. The pulleys 5, 6 drive, through a controlled clutch 10, a bevel wheel 11 which drives a 'bevel gear 12 (FIGURE 2) on the cylinder 1 to rotate the latter.

The cylinder 1 is recip'rocated for production of the heel and toe pouches H, T by operating the clutch 10 in known manner to render effective the usual continuously oscillated quadrant gear 13 (FIGURE 2) which drives a pinion 14 connected to the bevel wheel 11.

The quadrant gear 13 also continuously reciprocates the usual pawl 15 which is normally held clear of a ratchet wheel 15 by a peg 17 on it riding on one arm 18a of a lever 18, the other arm 18b of which has a peg 18c riding on the usual traversed pattern chain 19. When the usual gradual decrease in loop size is required in the panel, a bit 19a on the chain 19 locks the lever 18 allowing the pawl 15 to rack the ratchet wheel 16 which racks a pinion 20 meshing with a pinion 21 connected to the usual graduated quality cam 22. The latter provides for gradual lowering of the cylinder 1 to progressively decrease the loop size through the medium of a lever 23 pivoted at 23a and having at one end an adjusting screw 23b riding on the quality cam 22 and at the other end a block 230 with adjusting screw 23d which supports a block 24 on the cylinder 1.

The machine also has the usual racked control drum 25 (FIGURE 1) having a known arrangement of pattern bits operative at required times by suitable mechanisms such as arms 26, 27 and links 28, 29 to effect yarn changes for example when starting the panel P, the heel H, the sole and instep I and the toe T, the welt W being for example knitted of main and auxiliary yarns from fingers M5 and A2, the panel P and instep I from fingers M3 and A1, and the heel H and toe T from finger M4. The garter band G may be made from yarn from fingers M6 and A3.

Yarn packages such as at YP are provided for supplying the different yarns, with suitable yarn guides associated with a super structure represented by post 38 in known manner. Representative yarns are shown at M3Y being the main yarn for the panel P and instep I, and at AIY being the auxiliary yarn for the panel P and instep I.

The machine further incorporates known latch stop motion mechanism including a control lever 30 on part of the machine frame 39 (FIGURE 1) and a trip lever 31 on part of the frame 39 and having releasable catching engagement by catch formations 31a with a peg 8b on the belt shifting fork 8.

Usual welt mechanism includes the welt dial 32 (FIG- URE 1) which, together with a drive casing 33, a bevel wheel 33a, FIGURE 2, and cross drive shaft 34 with bevel pinions 35 and 35a is raised and lowered with usual raising and lowering of the latch ring 36, FIGURE 1, when required about a horizontal axle 37.

The yarns M3Y and AlY for the panel P and instep I are fed positively to the needles without slip by a nip roller yarn furnishing unit indicated generally at 40.

This unit comprises, FIGURES 3 to 5, a pair of conical nip rollers 41, 42 mounted in bearing brackets 43, 44 carried by a mounting plate 45 having an end wall 46. The bearing bracket 44 is fixed and the roller 42 is driven by means to be hereinafter described. The bearing bracket 43 is of stirrup form for pivotal displacement about a central axle 4'7 which extends through a slot 45a in the plate 45 and is connected to a U slide 48 at the rear of the plate 45. The slide 48 is slidably mounted on spaced guide rods 49, 50 (FIGURE 5) and is slidable, to move the roller 41 towards and away from the roller 42, by a solenoid 51 (FIGURE 3) the core 51a of which has a head 51b and a spring 51c between the head and the slide 48, there being also springs such as 49:: on the guide rods 49, 50 between the slide 48 and a cross bar 4512 on the plate 45.

Also at the rear of the plate there is a yarn guide arm 52 having two eyelets such as eyelet 52a for guiding the aforesaid two yarns out of the roller nip.

At the front side of the plate 45 there is a brake strip 53 on the wall 46 to prevent rotation of the roller 41 when separated from the roller 42.

The rollers 41, 42 are on relatively inclined axes and taper towards the apex thereof.

For guiding the yarns to the roller nip, a bracket 54 carried by the plate 45 has upper eyelets 54a, 54b, cymbals 54c, 54d, and lower eyelets 54a, 54 (FIGURE 5). From the latter eyelets the yarns pass through yarn guide tubes 55, 56 carried by an indicator slide 58 slidably mounted in a slot 59 (FIGURE 4) in a scale plate 60 secured to the wall 46 and having a pointer 61 registering with a scale 68a.

For moving the slide 58, the pointer 61, and the yarn guide tubes 55, 56 parallel to the rollers 41, 42, the slide 58 is connected by a link 62 to a control arm 63 on 'a pivot 63a; the control arm 63 is biased by a spring 63b and is displaceable betwen adjustable screw stops 64, 65 by means to be hereinafter described.

For opening the cymbals when the rollers are sepa- 6 rated a bracket 66 carried by the U slide 48 has prongs 66a, 66b.

The roller 42 is driven in predetermined relation to the machine speed by means of a vertical spindle 67 (FIGURE 2) mounting the roller (and consequently mounting the unit) and having a pinion 68 meshing with a loose pinion 69, the latter meshing with a gear 70 on the usual vertical drive spindle 71 for transmitting drive to the welt mechanism by a bevel pinion 72 on the spindle 71 meshing with the outer bevel pinion 35a, said spindle 71 being driven through a lower bevel pinion 72 meshing with a bevel gear 73 that rotates with the bevel wheel 11.

The control arm 63 is lowered by the spring 63b and is raised by an upright rod 74 in a sleeve 74a which is supported by clamps 75, 76 from the post 38. The lower end of the rod 74 is connected to a lever 77 which is pivoted at 78 and is connected by an adjustable con nection 79 to a rod 80 which connects to an arm 81 on a rod 82. The latter also carries an arm 83 connected by a link 84 to a block 85 which is secured on the end of the lever 23.

For opening and closing the roller nip at required times to be hereinafter referred to these is a Micro Switch SW1, FIGURE 1, and a cam disc 86 for operating the switch and mounted on the usual control rack shaft 87 carrying the usual control bits 88 for control of the clutch 10 and belt shifter 8, the shaft 87 being racked on at required times under control of the pattern chain in usual manner. The cam disc 86 has two spaced falls 86a, 86b FIGURE 2, with which there is associated adjustable plates 89, 90 for adjustably setting the positions of the falls accurately to be operative at the times when the machine changes to reciprocation for the heel H" and back to rotation for the sole and instep I and then to reciprocation for the toe T and back to rotation for the next stocking.

There is also a safety Micro Switch SW2 operable by a rod 91 connected to the trip lever 31.

There is a further Micro Switch SW3 operable by the stop motion lever 30, and another Micro Switch SW4, FIGURE 1, operable by a part movable with the latch ring 36.

The machine also carries a warning lamp 92 for indicating fault actuation of the stop motion.

In the electric circuit FIGURE 6, the three switches SW1, SW2, SW4 are connected in series between a transformer TR and the roller solenoid 51. The switch SW1 is closed and opened by cam disc 86 when the positive feed rollers are required to close and separate respectively. Switch SW2 is closed when the machines belt shifter is in machine running position. Switch SW4 is closed when the latch ring is in operative position. The switch SW3 has a connection NC which is normally closed in relation to a connection TC to connect the roller solenoid 51 to the transformer TR, and a connection NO which is normally open in relation to the connection TC to disconnect the lamp 92 from the transformer TR. This switch SW3 is actuated and deactuated when the machines stop motion is operated by a fault and not operated respectively.

In operation of the machine to start a stocking and produce a welt, the switch contact NO is open so that there is no light from the lamp 92, the yarn feed rollers are rotated from the welt drive through the spindles 67, 71 the pinions 68, 69 and the gear 70.

The yarns M3Y and AlY are not positively fed during this period, nor while the garter band G is knitted, because the cam disc 86 during this time presents the plain surfaces marked Welt and band, FIGURE 8, to the Micro Switch SW1 which is consequently open so that circuit through the closed switches SW2, SW3 and SW4 is broken to the roller solenoid 51 which results in de-energizing the roller solenoid 51 so that the rollers are separated. Roller 41 is held non-rotating by the brake strip 53, and the yarns are controlled against inadvertent feeding movement it they should make contact with the rotating roller 42 by the tension cymbals 54c, 54d gripping them frictionally.

At the end of the garter band the pattern drum 25 operates through said suitable mechanisms such as arms 26, 27 and links 28, 29 to effect yarn changes whereby the yarns M3Y and AlY are introduced for the panel P and instep I. At this stage the cam disc 86 presents the fall 86a to the Micro Switch SW1 to close this switch so that circuit through all the switches SW14 is closed to the roller solenoid thereby to energize the roller solenoid 51 so that the nip rollers close and thereafter feed the yarns MEY, AlY positively without slip to the needles throughout the production of the panel P.

In the sliding movement of the U slide 48 by the solenoid 51 to close the rollers, the slide 48 carries with it the roller 41 clear of the brake strip 53 and the bracket 66 such that the latters prongs 66a, 66b engage and open the cymbals 54c, 5401 to allow free running of the yarns M3Y, AlY to the rollers.

The drive to the rollers is so arranged, having regard to the loop-forming movements of the needles N, that the yarns M3Y, A1Y fed by the rollers are knitted by the needles N into fabric without breakage. The requisite relationship may be achieved firstly by appropriately designing the positive feed mechanism including the drive to the rollers and secondly by vertical pre-setting adjustment of the cylinder 1 by the adjusting screw 23d thereby pre-setting the extent of the loop-forming movements of the needles N.

In the present example the drive is such as to provide a 10 to 1 speed increase from the cylinder 1 to the rollers, the cylinder has say 450 needles, and the cylinder is adjusted for knitting without breakage of the yarn which will be formed into loops having a length of .06 inch and into courses having a length of 27 inches.

By these means the loop-forming movements of the needles N are maintained at an extent permitting the yarns to be knitted up without undue rise or fall in its tension between the rollers and the needles, and within these limits the feed is absolutely positive so that the amounts of the yarns that are knitted into successive courses and into successive parts of the same course is determined by the rate at which the yarns are fed by the feed rollers.

This is distinct from known instances where for example toothed nip rollers are employed which are not proof against slippage of the yarns, and other known instances where yarn tension compensators are used.

Initial setting of the positive feed mechanism for obtaining predetermined loop size for the panel is obtained by adjustment of the adjusting screw 64, 65 and/or of the adjustable connection 79.

During'the production of the panel no adjustments are made so that the amounts of yarns knitted into successive courses or successive parts of the same course are kept at the required substantially constant predetermined value.

At the usual stage when operation of the graduated quality cam 22 is initiated in usual manner from the pattern chain 19, thereby to start gradually lowering the cylinder 1 for gradually decreasing the loop size, the consequently lowering lever 23 carries with it the upright rod 74 to lower the lever 63 and consequently the yarns M3Y, A1Y from their initial upper position registering with upper parts of the roller 41, 42 gradually along decreasing diameter parts of the rollers thereby to gradually decrease the amounts of the yarns proportionately to the gradually decreasing extent of the loopforming movements of the needles.

This progressive decrease of loop size continues until the heel stage is reached whereupon the pattern chain causes the graduated quality cam 22 to stop in usual manner, and also in usual manner the clutch 10 is opt3 erated to change from rotation to reciprocation of the cylinder 1 by the quadrant gear 13.

At this stage it is not required to make the heel of positively fed yarn. Instead the control drum 25 causes a yarn change in usual manner at the main station and takes out yarn at the auxiliary station, and the cam disc 86 is racked to present a plain surface marked Heel, FIGURE 8, to the Micro Switch SW1. The switch is therefore opened and the circuit through the closed switches SW2, SW3, SW4 is broken to the roller solenoid so that the roller solenoid 51 is de-energized and the rollers separate. During the production of the heel, the' roller 42 oscillates with the cylinder 1 and the yarns M3Y, AlY are controlled by the cymbals 54d, 540, the separated roller 41 carrying the bracket 66 with it to separate the prongs 66a, 66b from the cymbals.

When the next change is made back to rotary knitting after the heel H by usual operation of the clutch 10, the cam disc is again racked on to present the fall 86b to the Micro Switch SW1 so that the switch re-closes, again energizing the roller solenoid 51 to re-close the rollers 41, 42 to resume positive feed of the yarns M3Y, AlY which are re-introduced for knitting by usual yarn change action of the control drum 25.

The instep I is consequently produced with substantial constancy of required predetermined loop size. Similar operations to those for changing from the panel P to the heel H are carried out from changing from the sole and instep I to the toe T, the latter being made from the usual toe yarn without positive feed by the cam disc 86 being racked on to present the plain surface marked Toe T, FIGURE 8, to the Micro Switch SW1, followed by similar operations to those for changing from heel H to instep I being carried out for changing from the toe T to the start of the next stocking and the Welt W with the positive feed remaining inoperative by racking of the cam disc again for the welt and so on.

In the event at any time of a latch fault, the usual stop motion opens the connection NC of the Micro Switch SW3 in relation to the connection TC by the control lever 30 so that the circuit through the switches SW1, SW2 and SW4 to the feed roller solenoid 51 is broken to de-energize the latter and cause separation of the feed rollers 41, 42 and control of the yarns M3Y, AlY by the cymbals 54c, 54d. The stop motion simultaneously closes the connection N0 of the Micro Switch SW3 in relation to the connection TC so that circuit is closed to light the warning lamp to indicate the fault.

Any time the machine is stopped, the Micro Switch SW2 is opened by the rod $1 to cause separation of the feed rollers 41, 42 so that the cylinder 1 can be turned by hand if desired without positive feed of the yarns MSY, AllY.

At any time that the latch ring 36 is raised, it causes opening of the Micro Switch SW4 to break circuit to the feed roller solenoid 51 so that the positive feed can be effective only when the latch ring 36 is down to cause closing of the Micro Switch SW4.

It will be understood that by the interruptable positive feed mechanism of the invention, ladies stockings of any predetermined size can be produced in which the panel P and instep I of every stocking produced whether on the same or different machines will be made up of the same amounts of yarns per loop, or per course, so that they will all be of the same relaxed size without such variations as are inevitable when machines are not fitted with positive feed means according to the invention.

It will be also understood that the interruptable positive feed mechanism of the invention is applicable to a variety of knitting machines of various gauges and for making various articles of each of which a part or parts is required to be of constant relaxed size. For most practical purposes there would be a range of mechanisms for production of a range of loop sizes for example between F .06 and .6 inch in length.

In a second example of the use of the invention the interruptable positive feed mechanism suitably modified is incorporated in a Komet BR superimposed cylinder half hose knitting machine such as illustrated in FIGURES 9 to 14 for producing mens half hose comprising a roll welt W1, FIGURE 10, a 1 x l elastic rib top ET, a leg L, a heel H1, a sole and instep I1 and a toe T1.

Referring to FIGURE 9, the machine is basically of the known construction having superimposed needle cylinders 101, 102 which are rotated by the usual means between support plates 103, 104 with usual needles N and controlled sliders for transfer of needles to operate either all in the bottom cylinder 102 for non-rib knitting or some in the top cylinder 101 for rib knitting in the well known manner.

Of the usual needle operating cams, the stitch cam 102a for the lower cylinder needle is adjustable by being mounted on a plate 1021) which is adjustable by screw means 102C.

Usual yarn fingers at a main knitting station are indicated at 105 and are operated for yarn changes by levers such as 106 connected to their rear ends and operable as usual by cam discs such as 107, FIGURE 11.

Usual trapper or binder and cutter mechanism is represented at 108 (FIGURE 9).

There is also provided a positive yarn feed unit shown generally at 109.

This unit incorporates parallel nip rollers 110, 111 whereof the roller on a bracket support 112 is driven by a bevel pinion 113, a meshing bevel gear 114, a pinion 115 attached to the gear 114 and driven from the machines cylinders 101, 102 by any suitable machine drive-transmitting member such as a gear ring attached to the top cylinder 101.

The roller 111 is carried by a lever bracket 116 pivoted at 117 to the bracket support 112, and the bracket 116 is biased by a spring 118 towards closing the roller 111 against the roller 110.

Yarn guides 119, 120 are provided above and below the rollers 110, 111 and yarn from a supply package is guided thereby through the roller nip to the needles N with the aid of an additional guide 121.

By this means, with the roller nip closed and the usual adjustable stitch cam pre-set to suit, fabric loops and courses can be made from predetermined amounts of yarn positively fed to the needles as for the panel and instep of the ladies stocking hereinbefore described.

The rollers are mounted for ready interchangeability with rollers of other diameters to suit difierent requirements in respect of length of yarn per loop or course, e.g. for ditferent types of yarns by screws such as 122, FIG- URE 14, which screw into axles such as in the instance of the roller 111 shown at 124, FIGURE 14, this axle being conveniently mounted in roller bearings 125, 126 and being located by an end bush 127 fixed by screw 128 to the axle 124, and there being a washer 129 and a circlip or split ring 130 on the axle 124, behind the roller. The axle shown at 131 FIGURE 13 for the roller 110 is mounted in a ball race 133 in the bracket support 112.

There is further provided in this example, a second positive feed unit associated with that hereinbefore described by being mounted on the same base 134, FIGURE 13, which is secured to the machines top plate 103 by screws such as 135.

More specifically there is a second bearing bracket 136 with a ball race for a sleeve which is secured on an arm extension 131a of the spindle 131, and also on this spindle extension 131a at at the outer side of the bearing bracket 136 there is a second driven roller 139.

There is also a second lever bearing bracket 140 pivoted at 141 to the bearing bracket 136 and carrying at its upper end a second displaceable roller 142, with a spring 143 biasing the latter towards the roller 139, and the roller 142 being mounted on roller bearings as for the roller 111, FIGURE 14.

Yarn Y1, FIGURE 11, is guided by upper and lower 10 yarn guide eyelets 144, 145 to pass between the rollers 139, 142 to a usual yarn guiding finger 146 which is displaceable into and out of operation by an associated lever 147 operable in the known manner by a disc cam 148. There is also a usual yarn trapper or binder and cutter device for the yarn Y1 indicated at 149 and operable by usual arm 150 and slide 151 from the usual disc cam 152.

The usual pattern drum of the machine is indicated at 153 in FIGURE 9.

For separating the rollers 110, 111 and 139, 142 at required times, sheaths 154, 155 of Bowden cables are connected to the displaceable bearing brackets 116, 140 by hollow screws such as 154a, and the cables 156, 157 are connected to an underside part 134a of the base 134; the other ends of the cables 156, 157 are anchored to a stationary block 158 on a supporting bracket 104a, and the other ends of the sheaths 154, 155 are connected to a slide block 159. The connection of the ends of the cables and of said other ends of the sheaths are effected by the conventional method of sweating the ends in the holes respectively in the parts 134a, 158, and 159. The block 159 is on a slide rod 160 which is slidably mounted in the block 158 and engages on a usual control lever 161 operable by cam hits such as 162 on the control drum 153. In operation, the sheath ride along the stationary cables.

In the instance of the rollers 110, 111, they are reclosed at required times by the rod 160 riding off a cam bit such as 162 on the control drum 153, the rollers being returned by the spring 118.

In the instance of the rollers 139, 142 the action of the Bowden cables 156, 157 does not immediately result in the separation of the rollers 139, 142, for timing reasons which will be obvious to those skilled in the art of two feed machines, and for this purpose there is an adjustment screw 163, FIGURE 13, carried by the bearing bracket 140 and the inner end of which, when the rollers 139, 142 are separated, bears against one end of a trip arm 164 which is pivoted at 165 to the bearing bracket 136 and the other end of which has one end of a Bowden cable 166 connected to it, the associated end of the Bowden cable sheath 167 being connected to part of the base 134; the other end of the cable 166 is connected to a lever 16S pivoted at 159 to a stationary bracket 170 and the associated end of the sheath 167 is connected to a lug 170a on the bracket 170. The other end of the lever'168 overlies the aforesaid slide 151 for the trapper and cutter 150.

In addition there is a fourth Bowden cable 171 connected to said part 134a and the associated end of the sheath 172 of which is connected to the bearing bracket 136; the other end of this cable 171 is anchored by a screw 173 to a fixed part 174 of the machine and the associated end of the sheath 172 is connected to a bracket 175 secured to the aforesaid yarn finger operating arm 147.

By these means the actual separation of the rollers 139, 142 is effected by the usual operation of the trapper or binder and cutter 149 in which the slide 151 pulls the Bowden cable 166 to release the trip arm 164 so that the rollers 139, 142 close by the spring 143.

Subsequent re-separation of the rollers 139, 142 is effected by the yarn-finger-lever 147 withdrawing the yarn Y1 and simultaneously pushing the Bowden cable sheath 172 to rock the bearing bracket 140 to a position where the lever 164 re-engages behind the adjusting screw 163 to hold the rollers 139, 142 again separated until further operation of Bowden cables 155, 157 and so on.

The sequence of operations for the half hose FIGURE 10 is as follows:

The roll welt is produced first in usual manner during which cam bits such as 162 (FIGURES 9, 12) on the control drum 153 act on the pattern lever 161 to hold the rollers 110, 111 and 139, 142 separated by knitting without positive feed on the main yarn Y only, the auxiliary yarn finger 146 for the auxiliary yarn Y1 being in withdrawn position with the yarn trapped and cut by the trapl 1 per or binder and cutter 149, and the roller 142 being held separated from roller 139 by the trip lever 164.

Then the usual change is made in the machine for knitting of the 1 x 1 elastic rib welt while the rollers 110, 111 and 13?, 142 remain separated by a cam such as 162 continuing operative.

Following this the usual change is made in the machine for knitting of the leg and this is accompanied by the pattern bit such as 162 releasing from the pattern lever 161 so that in the instance of rollers 110, 111, these are closed by the spring 118, and in the instance of the rollers 139, 1 12, these are prepared for closing upon operation of the Bowden cables 171, 172 and 166, 167.

At the usual time in the knitting cycle, the auxiliary yarn finger 146 is introduced by operation of the lever 147 which consequently releases the Bowden sheath 172 thereby preparing the rollers 139, 14-2 for closing by operation of the Bowden cable 166, 167. The latter is operated at the usual time in the knitting cycle by operation of the trapper or binder and cutter 1 19 releasing the yarn Y1 so that the trip lever 164 is released and the rollers 139, 142 then close by the spring 1 13.

Thereafter the leg of the half hose is produced by twofeed knitting, the feeds being both of the positive kind hereinbefore referred to.

When the heel is reached the rollers 139, 142 are separated first by the auxiliary yarn finger 146 being withdrawn so that its operating lever 147 operates the Bowden cable 171, 172, and the trip lever 164 engages behind the screW'163 to hold the rollers separated. Then a pattern bit such as 162 operates the Bowden cables 154, 156 and 155, 157, the latters operation being an idle operation because of the rollers 139, 142 being already separated, and the formers operation causing separation of the rollers 11%), 111, so that thereafter the heel is produced by reciprocation in usual manner without positive feed.

At the end of production of the heel, the pattern bit such as 1&2 rides clear of the slide rod 160 so that the rollers 110, 111 re-close by the spring 118, and the rollers 139, 142 thereafter re-close by the spring 143 after the yarn finger 146 has been reintroduced and then the trapper and cutter 149 then operates in the manner hereinbefore referred to.

The sole and instep are then produced in usual manner but with both feeds being positive.

When the toe is reached the same operations take place as for the heel so that the toe is produced in usual manner by reciprocation without positive feed.

At the end of the toe both positive feeds remain interrupted for the start of the next half hose and so on.

It will be appreciated that during the production of the leg, sole and instep when the positive feed devices are in action, these parts of the half hose are produced with exactly the same predetermined length of yarn per loop or course characteristic as for the panel, sole and instep of the ladies stocking hereinbefore described, so that all half hose intended to be of any given size are in fact produced by predetermined arrangement substantially to that size with little or no variation due to the positive feed without slip or undue variation in tension and to the appropriate pre-setting of the stitch cam 102a.

It will also be appreciated from the foregoing that in each instance of the ladies stocking and the mens half hose, the positive feed and associated mechanism is pre-arranged suitable for use with the yarn for the panel or leg and the sole and instep, and that instead of the other yarns for the remaining parts of the articles being positively fed, which would necessitate difierent positive feed arrangements, these latter yarns are not positively fed and the positive feed mechanism is consequently rendered ineifective. Thus the major part of the article, exemplified by the panel or leg and sole and instep, is made from positively fed yarn and the remaining parts are made from yarn not positively fed, and the result is that although the non-positively fed.

parts may vary in size, these parts are of minor relaxed size, compared with the relaxed size of the major part of the article which will be substantially invariable, so that any relaxed size variation in the minor parts will be very small and therefore, considering the article as a whole, any relaxed size variation is, for all practical purposes, negligible.

What I claim is:

1. A method of knitting articles of a substantially uniform relaxed size from inextensible type textile yarn on a knitting machine having loop-forming elements and a positive yarn feed device, said method comprising driving said positive yarn feed device in predetermined speed relation to the machine speed, feeding by said positive yarn feed device, said textile yarn positively without slip at a predetermined, rate to suit the amount of said textile yarn required for each successive course, running said textile yarn from the positive feed device to the loop forming elements of the machine under satisfactory Working tension, maintaining the running path of said textile yarn substantially constant between the positive feed device and said loop-forming elements, presetting the extent of the loop-forming movements of said elements to knit the amount of said textile yarn fed by said positive yarn feed device, applying predetermined operation of operating means to said loop-forming elements to knit said required amounts of said textile yarn for each course, knitting successive courses of respective amounts of inextensible type yarn in like manner while feeding said textile yarn without slip and without undue rise or fall in yarn tension between said positive yarn feed device and said loop-forming elements to produce a major part of said article, and releasing said textile yarn from said positive yarn feed device to cause said device to be ineffective when remaining parts of said article are produced.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein during the production of said major part of the article the positive feed of the textile yarn to the needles is effected by conical nip rollers, and during the production of a number of courses in said major part of the article when the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements are progressively decreased the textile yarn is progressively adjusted along the conical roller nip towards the narrow end of the conical nip rollers, whereby in said number of courses the length of yarn in said loops and courses progressively decreases to predetermined extent.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein during the production of said major part of the article the positive feed of the textile yarn to the needles is effected by any one pair of a plurality of interchangeable different diameter pairs of rollers.

41. A knitting machine constructed and organized to 4 produce knitted articles to predetermined relaxed size fective for feeding the textile yarn positively to the needles without slip or undue rise or fall in yarn tension between the device and the needles during production of a major part of the article, and for releasing said textile yarn from said device to cause said device to be ineffective at certain times when remaining parts of the article are produced.

5. A knitting machine as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said device comprises conical nip rollers, one roller thereof being driven and the other roller thereof being laterally displaceable, a solenoid for effecting the displacement, an electric switch for controlling the solenoid, a disc Cam for controlling the electric switch for the solenoid to close the rollers for the production of said major part of the article and to separate the rollers for the remaining parts of the article, a yarn guide mounted for displacement along the roller nip and a scale therefor, and quality control means for progressively adjusting the yarn guide along the roller nip.

6. A knitting machine as claimed in claim having stop motion means and a second electric switch operable thereby to control said solenoid, a stop motion control lever, a third electric switch operable by said stop motion control lever to control said solenoid, a displaceable latch ring, and a fourth electric switch operable by said latch ring to control said solenoid.

7. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 6 having yarn guiding eyelets and yarn tensioning cymbals for guiding the textile yarn through the roller nip, and a fork device movable by the lateral movement of the movable roller to open the cymbals when the rollers are closed for positive feed of the textile yarn end to close the cymbals for control of the textile yarn when the rollers are separated.

S. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said device comprises parallel nip rollers, one roller thereof being driven and the other roller thereof being laterally displaceable, Bowden cable mechanism for controlling the displaceable roller, 21 control drum having control bits arranged for controlling the Bowden cable mechanism to close the rollers for the production of said major part of the article and to separate the rollers for the production of the remaining parts of the article.

9. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 8 having for a second textile yarn, a second pair of parallel nip rollers one of which is driven with the first driven roller and the other of which is laterally displaceable, first Bowden cable mechanism and a control drum with control bits arranged to prepare for closing of the rollers, a displaceable yarn guiding finger for the textile yarn, a second Bowden cable mechanism operable by introduction of said yarn guiding finger to further prepare for closing of the rollers and at another time operable by withdrawal of said finger to separate the rollers, trapper and cutter means for the textile yarn, trip mechanism holding the rollers separated, a third Bowden cable mechanism operable by said trapper and cutter means to release said trip mechanism, and spring means for closing the rollers.

10. A plural feed circular knitting machine constructed and arranged for the production of ladies stockings by having means for rotary knitting by a cylinder of needles station and at an auxiliary knitting station for producing a panel, sole and instep, and means for reciprocatory knitting by said needles a main textile yarn at the main knitting station for producing a heel and toe, said machine having in combination with said means adjustment means for pre-setting the extent of the loop-forming movements of the loop-forming elements, a positive feed yarn furnishing device comprising conical nip rollers, drive means for driving one of said rollers from the machine at a predetermined speed relative to the machine speed, control means operable to close the rollers for positively feeding the main and auxiliary yarns for the panel, sole and instep and Without slip and undue rise or fall in yarn tension between said device and the needles and to separate the rollers for the welt, heel and toe, and means for progressively lowering the needle cylinder and adjusting the main and auxiliary yarns along the roller nip towards the narrow diameter end thereof relative to a scale.

11. A knitting machine according to claim 4, having superposed needle cylinders, means for operating needles of said cylinders at a main knitting station and an auxiliary knitting station, means for feeding yarn for knitting at said stations and means for controlling said machine to produce top, leg, instep and foot portions by rotary knitting and heel and toe portions by reciprocatory knitting, said furnishing device comprising parallel feed rollers and means mounting said feed rollers for relative movement to bring said rollers together for positive feeding yarn to the needles and for separation to release said yarn from said device.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 having in combination therewith a range of pairs of different diameter positive feed rollers adapted for interchangeable fitment to the machine.

References tlited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,273,052 2/42 Lawson 66l32 2,290,628 7/42 Alderfer 66-132 2,333,705 11/43 Cooper 66l32 2,441,118 5/48 Boucraut 66-132 2,534,459 12/50 Lawson 66l32 2,583,568 1/52 Heizer 66-432 3,080,837 3/63 Kafiine et al. 1l2--79.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 737,561 9/55 Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF KNITTING ARTICLES OF A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM RELAXED SIZE FROM INEXTENSIBLE TYPE TEXTILE YARN ON A KNITTING MACHINE HAVING LOOP-FORMING ELEMENTS AND A POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING DRIVING SAID POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE IN PREDETERMINED SPEED RELATION O THE MACHINE SPEED, FEEDING BY SAID POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE, SAID TEXTILE YARN POSITIVELY WITHTOUT SLIP AT A PREDETERMINED, RATE TO SUIT THE AMOUNT OF SAID TEXTILE YARN REQUIRED FOR EACH SUCCESSIVE COURSE, RUNNING SAID TEXTILE YARN FROM THE POSITIVE FEED DEVICE TO THE LOOP FORMING ELEMENTS OF THE MACHINE UNDER SATISFACTORY WORKING TENSION, MAINTAINING THE RUNNING PATH OF SAID TEXTILE YARN SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT BETWEEN THE POSITIVE FEED DEVICE AND SAID LOOP-FORMING ELEMENTS, PRESETTING THE EXTENT OF THE LOOP-FORMING MOVEMENTS OF SAID ELEMENTS TO KNIT THE AMOUNT OF SAID TEXTILE YARN FED BY SAID POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE, APPLYING PREDETERMINED OPERATION OF OPERATING MEANS TO SAID LOOP-FORMING ELEMENTS TO KNIT SAID REQUIRED AMOUNTS OF SAID TEXTILE YARN FOR EACH COURSE, KNITTIN SUCCESSIVE COURSES OF RESPECTIVE AMOUNTS OF INEXTENSIBLE TYPE YARN IN LIKE MANNER WHILE FEEDING SAID TEXTILE YARN WITHOUT SLIP AND WITHOUT UNDUE RISE OR FALL IN YARN TENSION BETWEEN SAID POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE AND SAID LOOP-FORMING ELEMENTS TO PRODUCE A MAJOR PART OF SAID ARTICLE, AND RELEASING SAID TEXTILE YARN FROM SAID POSITIVE YARN FEED DEVICE TO CAUSE SAID DEVICE TO BE INEFFECTIVE WHEN REMAINING PARTS OF SAID ARTICLE ARE PRODUCED.
 4. A KNITTING MACHINE CONSTRUCTED AND ORGANIZED TO PRODUCE KNITTED ARTICLES TO PREDETERMINED RELAXED SIZE HAVINGA FURNISHING DEVICE FOR FEEDING TEXTILE YARN POSITIVELY TO THE NEEDLES, DRIVING MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID DEVICE FROM THE MACHINE AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED RELATIVE TO THE MACHINE SPEED, LOOP-FORMING ELEMENTS AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR PRE-SETTING THE EXTENT OF THE LOOPFORMING MOVEMENTS THEREOF, AND CONTROL MEANS CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED FOR CAUSING SAID DEVICE TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR FEEDING THE TEXTILE YARN POSITIVELY TO THE NEEDLES WITHOUT SLIP OR UNDUE RISE OR FALL IN YARN TENSION BETWEEN THE DEVICE AND THE NEEDLES DURING PRODUCTION OF A MAJOR PART OF THE ARTICLE, AND FOR RELEASING SAID TEXTILE YARN FROM SAID DEVICE TO CAUSE SAID DEVICE TO BE INEFFECTIVE AT CERTAIN TIMES WHEN REMAINING PARTS OF THE ARTICLE ARE PRODUCED. 